Hobby trainer Phil Wall can certainly come up with a bargain buy, with his $1000 purchase Two Parts Freak leading throughout at Gosford on Thursday to take his record to three wins and three placings from seven starts.
Two Parts Freak’s earlier successes include a $10,000 to the winner Wentworth Park Maiden Final in late November.
"That was the biggest win I’ve had in my 29 years in the sport," Wall said.
"Previously the closest I had got to winning a decent race was when Tommy Denver made the final of the 1995 Young Star Classic at Wentworth Park.
"Two Parts Freak was bred by Mark Gillies, who is a friend of Paul Bunyan, a former workmate of mine.
"Paul owned the former top class sprinter Bright Ebony and when he heard I was looking for a pup towards the end of 2013 he advised me to contact Mark who had a litter for sale.
"Mark’s pups were a bit out of my price range but when he was unable to sell them all he let me have an eight month old black bitch, which is Two Parts Freak, for only $1000."
An even better buy for Wall was Silver Domino which he bought as a ready to race dog for $3000 in late 2011.
Silver Domino has had 106 starts for 12 wins, 22 seconds and 17 thirds and has earned $36,000 prizemoney.
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Loose Connection continues to prove a lucky acquisition for trainer Caroline Hughes, who won the Dapto Derby final on May 7 with rank outsider Accomplished.
Loose Connection led throughout at Dapto on Thursday in a slick 30.08, taking his tally to seven wins, including three at Wentworth Park.
"I was fortunate to get him because Clay Mullens was originally scheduled to train the dog," Hughes said.
"But then Clay decided to quit training and advised me the dog was worth buying.
"I only paid around $3000 for him and while he is no champion Loose Connection can run once he gets on the lure.
"He can be a hopeless beginner but at other times he can ping the lids like he did on Thursday at Dapto.
"I wasn’t surprised when he clocked 30.08 on Thursday as I trialled him at Dapto before that race and he recorded 29.90."
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John Head will be hoping he has better luck with Thursday’s Gosford winner Choc Chip Magic than he did with Hot Chip, her older half brother.
Choc-chip-magic">Choc-chip">Choc">Choc Chip Magic, who is out of Head’s brood bitch Choc Chip, showed blistering speed to win over 400m at Gosford in a slick 22.90.
Choc Chip won six of 27 starts and her first litter, to Give Me Five, included Hot Chip.
That greyhound won his maiden at Richmond in 30.70, which was a brilliant time for a rookie back in 2012, and scored first up at Wentworth Park in a smart 30.17.
"But we never saw the best of Hot Chip because he was forever injured," Allyson, John Head’s wife, said.
"John and I have three youngsters from Choc Chip’s second litter, to Magic Sprite, and while Choc Chip Magic won well at Gosford her unraced brother Alfie Magic is faster.
“He broke in well and won a 400m performance trial at Bulli in 22.71 before getting knocked down when trying to reach the lead in a 472m trial there."
